Hand in Hand for Oscar

Oscar's Story

This is Oscar.

Oscar is 5 years old. He loves exploring the outside world, camping and playing with his friends and of course obsessed with dinosaurs! He misses his friends dearly and wishes he could attend school where he was in his element.

Right now, we have no guarantees that Oscar will see his 6th birthday unless we act fast.

In December 2018, Oscar was diagnosed with high risk T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Since then, he has spent 8 months in hospital undergoing intense chemotherapy treatments with the goal that Oscar would receive a lifesaving stem cell transplant. Oscar has only spent a couple of nights at home since he was diagnosed.

Bone Marrow for Oscar

We were so grateful earlier this year when thousands of people across the globe signed up to become stem cell donors in the faith that Oscar would find a donor and we finally got the go ahead with a 10/10 match!

After further chemotherapy, full body radiotherapy and three months of gruelling recovery post-transplant, we were told the devastating news that Oscar’s leukaemia is back.

Once again, a massive blow to us all as a family, but especially our sweet little boy who finally started to feel like he was getting his childhood life back.

Next Steps

We have been told by specialists that it is unlikely that there are any curative treatment options left for Oscar that are available on the NHS.

At present, children with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in Oscar's position are able to undergo CAR-T therapy here in the UK. Unfortunately, there is no such therapy available for children with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Oscar's care team are currently looking at the possibility of Oscar receiving this treatment as part of a trial. They are also looking at the possibility of a second bone marrow transplant that also most likely need to take place outside of the NHS.

Currently, the NHS can typically only offer a second transplant to patients twelve months on from their first transplant. With the nature of Oscar’s disease, we simply may not have that long to keep his disease at bay....

A mountain to Climb

Having been told options are very limited from the beginning of this journey, we have never lost hope, with Oscar’s strength and determination throughout. This is why we have made the decision to give our warrior the best shot at a lasting cure that we can.

This is the least he deserves after such a torturous battle. So, we ask you to join Oscar’s army in making his dreams come true and saving his life.

The information we have received from our care team and the trial in question indicate that we will need to raise in the region of £500,000 to make this possible. This will be updated once we have a formal amount confirmed. This huge amount is the price we have been given to give our boy a chance at life. If you are able to help in any way, we would be so grateful.

How to help

We have agreed to fundraise through the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust to try and fund the medical care that he needs.

Any funds not used to help Oscar with his treatment will be donated to the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust, registered charity number 1167783 with the aim of funding further research on Oscar’s type of cancer with the aim for kinder and more successful treatments.

We will use Oscar’s Facebook and twitter pages ‘Hand in hand for Oscar’ as well as this Virgin Fundraiser to update you on his journey.

Thank you so much,

Olivia and Jaime, Oscar's mum and dad.

If you would like to donate, you can do so online through the links on this page. If possible, this is the easiest and quickest way to donate.

If you are unable to donate in this way, you can also donate by cheque. Cheques should be made out to "Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust." Cheques can be sent to the Oscar Saxelby-Lee Appeal, GKCCT, Orchard View, Church Road, Crowle, Worcestershire, WR7 4AX.

Cheques must have a cover note included clearly stating that the funds are to be donated to Oscar's appeal. They will then be ringfenced for this purpose, thank you.

If you would like to help fundraise for Oscar and have any fundraising queries, please can you email [email protected]

Hand in Hand for Oscar

During treatment for rare solid tissue tumours, some families may face the problem that the treatment they need is not available or funded within the UK and parents have to fundraise themselves.

​At the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust, we are working to help families to run their own campaigns to try and help reach these goals. All donations they receive are paid into the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust’s funds to fund our general charitable activities including funding a child’s treatment.

The funds raised by this appeal are not restricted for the child’s use, but the trustees of the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust have agreed to designate 98% of the funds raised by this journey to help the child and family in paying for potential future treatment costs. (The other 2% is used to cover the administrative costs charged to the charity for donations through a payment page).

​Should the child no longer need the funds or if the trustees decide at their absolute discretion that the funds may be designated for an alternative purpose, they are able to designate all or part of the 98% to other Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust charitable purposes.